Gove intrigue over ‘use of private e-mails for official business’

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The controversy follows the leak of an e-mail from one of Michael Gove’s special advisersDavid Jones/PA

Greg HurstEducation Editor

Last updated at 12:01AM, September 21 2011

Questions about Michael Gove’s relations with civil servants resurfaced
yesterday amid controversy over the use of private e-mail accounts by him
and his team of advisers.

The Department for Education announced that it was investigating whether
e-mails to and from Mr Gove and his aides were accessed without
authorisation. It followed claims that the Education Secretary and his
special advisers used personal e-mail accounts to discuss government
business, including policy implementation.

Using private e-mails would cut civil servants out of such discussions and
could mean that messages escape requests for their publication under the
Freedom of Information Act.